Aurora Intersection Accident Splits Car in Half, Results in Fatality

Date: April 24, 2011
Location: Ehlen Road NE & Butteville Road NE, Aurora
Names: Rebecca Crisman, Rosa Elsey, Richard Mathew, Patricia Mathew

A woman was killed after the vehicle she was riding in collided with a pickup truck.

At about 4:15pm on Sunday April 24, a Geo Metro being driven north by Rosa Elsey, age 74 of Rockaway Beach, collided with a 2001 Ford F250 truck heading west on Ehlen Road. The collision tore the Geo in half; Elsey’s passenger, her sister Rebecca Crisman, age 80 of Tigard, was ejected and died at the scene.

The vehicles collided at the intersection of Ehlen Road NE and Butteville Road NE in Aurora. Butteville Road has a stop sign at the intersection. Sections of the Geo Metro were found 150 feet apart, and two dogs riding in the Geo died as a result of the crash.

The driver of the Ford truck was Richard Mathew, age 80 of Turner. His wife, Patricia Mathew, age 82, was a passenger. The truck rolled after impact, and both occupants were transported to the Providence Newberg Medical Center.

Elsey, driver of the Geo, was airlifted by LifeFlight helicopter to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center.

We are deeply saddened by this tragic accident, and send our thoughts and prayers to all those involved, especially to the family and friends of Rebecca Crisman, but also to her sister Rosa Elsey. We know she will need all of the love and support she can get in the difficult days ahead. We also hope that the Mathews will fully recover from their injuries very soon.

The moments and days after car accidents in Oregon are the most important. First, you must seek medical attention as soon as possible. Even if you think your injuries are minor, you should have a record of anything after the accident in case the pains become more serious. Second, either you, a friend or family member or a qualified Portland car accident attorney, should collect evidence from the crash scene. Evidence can disappear quickly, so doing this while your loved one is in the hospital is of extreme importance. We understand that you may not want to do this while you or your loved one is in the hospital, so you may want to ask an attorney to do it for you.